Pursue Your Ambition with Unwavering Dedication: UGC NET English Topper Kunal Kashyap

University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test 2025 ( UGC NET )

DeskCalelnderExam On - 31 Dec '25 - 7 Jan '26

Swayam
Swayam Gupta
Associate Senior Executive
Updated on Aug 10, 2023 17:06 IST
Kishore Kunal Kashyap shares his preparation strategy and success story with Shiksha. The upcoming aspirants can read the article to get motivation and a proper preparation strategy from a topper. Check the preparation tips to crack UGC NET in first attempt with proper guidance of a topper.

Kishor Kunal Kashyap, UGC NET English topper shared his preparation strategy and success story with Shiksha. Read the complete interview to know about the preparation strategy and tips to crack UGC NET exam.

UGC NET exam, UGC NET interview, english literature, UGC NET 2023 English Literature

UGC NET English Topper

 

Meet Kishor Kunal Kashyap, who is a testament to true hard work and dedication. Kunal switched to English Literature as a Master's after his graduation in Physics honors due to his interest and love for literature. After completing his master's Kunal decided to take one of the toughest and sought exams in India, UGC NET. Kunal was unable to take any coaching classes or hire a private tutor for the preparation.He started off by setting a rigorous study schedule for himself which included hours of devotion to self-study.

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On the day of the exam, Kunal was confident and well-prepared. He tackled questions with ease, drawing upon her extensive knowledge and training and when the results were announced, Kunal's hard work and determination paid off. This was a proud moment for Kunal and his family, and it was well-deserved recognition. 

The candidates preparing for UGC NET can go through the interview with Twinkle to get the UGC NET preparation strategy and tips to crack the exam.

Tell us something about your background?

- Kishor Kunal Kashyap is my name. After finishing my degree in science, I decided to major in literature. My interest in literature led me to get a master's degree in the subject from Central University, where I also qualified for the National Eligibility Test (NET) with a score of 98.99 percent. My study involves looking at the tale of Sita from new angles i.e. Myth and Literature.

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Why you’ve chosen this exam? Which other exams did you appear in and which you have been able to crack?

- I've always wanted to help others learn through teaching, and passing the UGC NET test is one of the prerequisites. I decided to take the test since I'm fascinated by the study area. I have appeared for the NDA, SSC, BPSC(Lecturer) and qualified for the preliminary stage

Also Read: UGC NET Topper English Sucess Story and Preparation Tips 

How much time did you prepare for the NET? Did you crack it in the first attempt? 

- I dedicated 6 months to preparing for the exam. It was my first attempt and yes, I cracked it also, consecutively cleared in December too. Twice a year.

Tell us about the challenges you faced while preparing for the exam.

- There is a variety of information and resources, and the curriculum covers a vast amount of ground because of recent additions. The biggest obstacles are managing time effectively and finishing all the course material.

Did you take any coaching for the exam? If yes, from where and for how long? If not, how you managed to do self-study?

- I decided against enrolling in a prep course. I learned a lot from the many videos available on YouTube that assisted me in passing the exam. With the aid of the videos and books, I compiled my own notes, which proved to be quite useful. To pass the test, you must practice using questions from the previous year.

How to prepare for UGC NET exam? Tell us the strategy you applied to prepare for the exam.

- Read as much as you can from the PYQs. The only way to really grasp the pattern is via repeated application. Knowing how much time should be spent on each unit requires familiarity with the course outline. Each of the two papers is worth 10 units. Paper 1 is a prerequisite that must be passed before moving on to Paper 2. Common sense and the basics are covered in Paper 1. An informative book would be very useful. You have three hours to complete 150 questions on a test, so time management is crucial. Time-consuming components of Paper 1 include mathematical and logical reasoning, and data analysis.

Also Read: Succes Story of Komal Sharma (UGC NET Topper Political Science)

Tell us about the UGC NET study routine?

- Regularly engaging in the practice of multiple-choice questions and developing a comprehensive comprehension of the underlying ideas hold significant importance. A daily practice duration of 6 to 7 hours would likely prove to be enough.

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What should be the section-wise preparation strategy?

- Spend your time wisely considering your abilities and limitations. You may save time by skimming through the material you already know well. When it comes to the unfamiliar material, take the time to read it through and take notes.

Can you refer to some good books for UGC NET preparation?

- I can't say that about the books but the books best worked for me are:

  • Routledge by Ronal Carter, William j long
  • Beginning Theory by Peter Bary, An Introduction to Cultural Studies. Pramod K. Nayar
  • Contemporary Literary and Cultural Theory
  • Book by Pramod K Nayar
  • R Gupta’s Pyqs 

What according to you were the easiest and toughest sections?

- All of Paper 1 was unfamiliar to me, making it difficult to figure out how to study for it. While I knew some of the material in Paper 2, there was a lot that I didn't know. It was challenging for me to remember and study the material on cultural studies and literary theory that was included. Data interpretation, logical thinking, and mathematical reasoning were not difficult for me.

How you tackled your strong and weak areas?

- Since it's not a good idea to try to learn anything new or challenging just before an exam, I had a decent grasp of the topics in my weak areas from the minute I began studying. One month before the test, one should sit down with a stopwatch to practice multiple-choice questions (MCQs) following the exam's format. 

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After clearing the exam, how can anyone find a job?

- If you pass the test, you may go on to JRF's PhD programme. Aspirants may be mentored. One may work as an assistant professor or a research fellow depending on their area of expertise.

What are your hobbies? Did you attribute it to the preparation?

- I like poetry writing, reading, and taking on difficult new experiences. I credit my success to my doggedness and willingness to take risks.

Read More: Shivani Karn UGC NET English Literature Topper Interview

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Swayam Gupta
Associate Senior Executive

Law Education & Competitive Exams Content Specialist

Role: Senior Content Writer, Shiksha.com

Swayam writes content specializing in the law education and competitive exams domain, with around two year of experience

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Answered 14 hours ago

The authority will release the NTA UGC NET provisional answer key after the conclusion of an exam in a few days along with the question paper and response sheet. It will help the candidates to verify their responses, estimate the probable scores and evaluate their performance in the examination.

G

Gunjan Majumder

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 14 hours ago

No. candidate can not submit the UGC NET application form offline. It was released on the official portal at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. The application form was released online on October 7. All the process of the online form including the registration, document upload, fee payment, confirmation, etc. must

...Read more

K

Kritika Sharma

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 14 hours ago

In the UGC NET exam, two marks are awarded for every correct answerThere is no negative marking in the exam. For every correct answer, two marks are awarded. Scroll down to know the marking scheme.

UGC NET Marking Parameters

Marks Allotted 

Correct answer

+2

Incorrect answer

0

Un-attempted question

0

N

Nitesh Pruthi

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 14 hours ago

The NTA released the UGC NETadmit card 2025 for the December session exam. It was released on the official portal at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. The admit card is a mandatory document thata needs to be carried at the examination centre by the candidate.  

J

Jasleen Jain

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 14 hours ago

The UGC NET December session exam is ongoing. As per the students' feedback UGC NET January 2 Paper 1 was Moderate some felt that Assertion & Reasoning part was a bit difficult. Paper 1 was lengthy. 

S

Shikha Shukla

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 3 days ago

The questions asked in the NTA UGC NET Paper 1 exam are generic and intend to assess the teaching or research aptitude of the candidate. Details are provided below:

UGC NET Paper 1 Sections

No. of Questions

Total Marks

Teaching Aptitude

5

10

Research Aptitude

5

10

Reading Comprehension

5

10

Communication

5

10

Reasoning (including Maths)

5

10

Logical Reasoning

5

10

Data Interpretation

5

10

Information & Communication Technology (ICT)

5

10

People & Environment

5

10

Higher Education System: Governance, Polity & Administration

5

10

Total

50

100

M

Manisha Singh

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 3 days ago

The NTA UGC NET exam consists of two papers and candidates need to complete it in a duration of three hours. Candidates can check below the exam pattern for both papers.

UGC NET Paper

Number of Questions

Total Marks

UGC NET Paper 1

50 

100

UGC NET Paper 2

100 

200

Total

150 

300

C

Chanchal Shekhar

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 4 days ago

Candidates can chech below the methods to downlaod the UGC NET admit card:

  • Go to the ugcnet.nta.nic.in
  • Click on the hall ticket link for the exam
  • Enter the details asked on the login page- application number, date of birth, and security pin
  • Click on the submit button 
  • Download and save it 

S

Satyendra Garg

Contributor-Level 6

Answered a week ago

The UGC NET Paper 2 subject specific i.e, Economics, consists of 100 questions worth 2 marks each. The exam will be of 3-hour duration, so there will be no breaks between paper 1 and paper 2. Candidates should cover all significant units of the of the Economics syllabus as mentioned below:

  • Micro Econ

...Read more

S

Shikha Goyal

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

The UGC NET Paper 2 is subject-specific and holds 200 marks for 100 questions. There is no negative marking for the exam. The syllabus for Political Science comprises 10 units and are mentioned below:

  • Political Theory  
  • Political Thought  
  • Indian Political Thought 
  • Comparative Political Analysis  
  • Intern

...Read more

V

Virajita Shukla

Contributor-Level 6